Almost Lover
by InvestInLove
Summary: Elliot runs into an old friend at a bar, and old feelings come back. Olivia is stuck watching from the sidelines. How much can she take? Sad, Non-EO, oneshot-songfic.


**This is a songfic for "Almost Lover" by A Fine Frenzy. Listen to it. It's a great song. I don't own. :).**

* * *

  
The case from hell was finally over. It had been long and harder to figure out than most others, so they all had gone out to celebrate. "They" included Olivia, Elliot, Munch, Fin, Gragen, and Casey. They were in a bar that they had often went to, and they all had been having fun.

At least they had at first. They had been there for a good 2 hours and Elliot got up to get yet another drink.

On his way back to the table he ran into a familiar friend. "Elliot Stabler?" The woman asked, sounding shocked.

"Yeah…Anna?" The woman nodded.

He smiled, then led her back over to his table. "This is Anna, my ex-girlfriend from college."

Everyone greeted her and seemed pretty happy. They all wanted Elliot to find love again after his recent divorce from Kathy.

Olivia's previous good mood immediatley melted away, and her jealous streak came out. Even worse, Elliot left after introducing her and went and sat at table with her. _Just_ her.

After 30 more minutes and two drinks later, Olivia left because staring and Elliot and "her" was just making her more upset.

She used "tired" as her excuse to get out, but they could all see right through it, except Elliot of course, who was over laughing with "the whore" as Olivia decided to call her. Using an actual name was a waste. He didn't even notice when she left, giving them one last bitter glance.

She drove home with Elliot on her mind, and her favorite radio station playing in the background. An unfamiliar song came on and she turned it up, tears coming to her eyes as she listened, because the more she heard, the more it reminded her of Elliot…

_  
Your fingertips across my skin  
The palm trees swaying in the wind  
Images_

_You sang me Spanish lullabies  
The sweetest sadness in your eyes  
Clever trick_

_I never want to see you unhappy  
I thought you'd want the same for me_

_Goodbye, my almost lover  
Goodbye, my hopeless dream  
I'm trying not to think about you  
Can't you just let me be?  
So long, my luckless romance  
My back is turned on you  
I should've known you'd bring me heartache  
Almost lovers always do_

_We walked along a crowded street  
You took my hand and danced with me  
Images_

_And when you left you kissed my lips  
You told me you'd never ever forget these images, no_

_I never want to see you unhappy  
I thought you'd want the same for me_

_Goodbye, my almost lover  
Goodbye, my hopeless dream  
I'm trying not to think about you  
Can't you just let me be?  
So long, my luckless romance  
My back is turned on you  
I should've known you'd bring me heartache  
Almost lovers always do_

_I cannot go to the ocean  
I cannot drive the streets at night  
I cannot wake up in the morning  
Without you on my mind  
So you're gone and I'm haunted  
And I bet you are just fine  
Did I make it that easy  
To walk right in and out of my life?_

_Goodbye, my almost lover  
Goodbye, my hopeless dream  
I'm trying not to think about you  
Can't you just let me be?  
So long, my luckless romance  
My back is turned on you  
I should've known you'd bring me heartache  
Almost lovers always do_

By the time the song was over, Olivia could barely see because she was crying so hard. She had a feeling her change with Elliot was gone, "Like it even existed to begin with." She thought bitterly.

As she walked to her apartment, she suddenly realized how exhausted she was. She would hopefully be able to sleep after the events from earlier that night, but once she got into her apartment she realized she would have no problem.

She turned her cell phone off and hoped Cragen wouldn't need her anytime that night, changed clothes, and walked tiredly to her bed. In seconds she was asleep, hoping the next day, Elliot would forget all about "the whore."

-The next day-

Olivia knew from the look on Elliot's face that things had ended well the night before. She sat down at her desk and tried not to catch his eye.

"Hey Liv, where'd you go last night." He finally asked.

Olivia jumped when he spoke. "I got tired and went home."

"Yeah, right Liv." He said, not buying it. "Well if that's it, why didn't you at least tell me you were leaving?"

"You were talking to that girl…whatever her name is. I didn't want to bother you." She said, which was true enough.

"Is that what your so upset about, Liv?" He asked, his voice slightly raising. "So, what your saying is, I can't be happy? Huh? Is that what it is?" His anger was getting the best of him and his voice got louder with every word he said. Olivia just sat there, shocked, but trying not to show any emotion on her face.

"Calm down, Elliot," said Fin, who had been listening in on the conversation the whole time.

Elliot realized what he'd done. He walked out, ashamed. "I need some air." He muttered, slamming the door behind him.

"You ok, Liv?" Fin asked.

"I'm fine." Olivia lied.

The day passed slowly and every minute seemed to last an hour. Olivia and Elliot had no cases, so they had no reasons to talk. They managed to avoid all conversation, which was a relief for both of them.

After that day, things never improved with them. They talked some, but never much, and hardly ever anything but about the case they were working on.

Most of the time trying to have a personal conversation just started a fight, but just from the few things Elliot had said to her and to the conversations she'd heard him have with other people, she knew that him and Anna's relationship was still going strong, three months later.

The day Elliot came in, smiling, with "great news" that he was getting married to Anna, Olivia quit. She just couldn't take getting hurt by Elliot anymore, so that night she went to the captain and turned in her resignation letter. He didn't ask any questions and she didn't say a word. He knew enough about her to know why she was quitting.

She left without a word to Elliot, so the next morning when he came in, he was shocked to find Olivia not there.

Her desk was cleared, and although he was pretty sure he knew what was going on, he went and asked Cragen what had happened.

"She left last night, Elliot," Was his simple answer, although Elliot could see the pain in his face.

When he went back out to his desk, feeling an overwhelming sense of regret, he saw a piece of paper sitting on his desk.

"_Goodbye my Almost Lover." _Was all it said.

And that was the last time anyone heard from Olivia.

* * *

** The ending just came to me. I decided I would finish it, and for once I actually did. It's not my best or my worst, and its OOC, but I can't help but write it that way. I have 7 or 8 other oneshots in the works right now, so be prepared! Tell me what you think :).**


End file.
